Going into their 6th year at Hogwarts, Maggie Darling, Ominis Gaunt and Sebastian Sallow are hard at work trying do the right thing. They have been searching tirelessly for a way to cure Anne of her curse and find a way to deal with the repository o...
It was an exceptionally beautiful Sunday, the most mild of autumn breezes sending the vividly coloured leaves dancing, but Sebastian had no way of knowing that.
He was, yet again, feverishly rifling through his chaotic collection of notes and books in the Room of Requirement. The dim, flickering light of his single candle was casting eerie shadows across his scattered research, but they were nothing compared to the shadows under his eyes.
Yesterday's Quidditch trials had left him feeling extremely on edge. Replacing Anne as Seeker had shaken him more than he'd anticipated. Sure, he knew Imelda was only keeping his sister's spot warm, but still. It was just another reminder of his failure.
And then there was that spectacle between Darling and Vincent Burke. It had been amazing to be sure, no one could argue that... but something about it just didn't sit right with Sebastian.
Vinnie had always been a formidable Beater, he definitely wasn't known for pulling his punches. But from the moment the bludgers had been released he'd completely ignored all the other contenders, going straight for Darling with a single minded ferocity that bordered on madness—
Of course, Sebastian knew that Darling had not been in any real danger, she'd looked like she was having the time of her life up there. No, he was well aware of how capable she was, even without a wand. But Burke had no way of knowing that, did he?
The two of them had laughed and joked afterward, like old friends, complementing each other on their more impressive moves. Despite this apparent friendliness, Sebastian just couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was something too bold, too unrestrained in the way Burke acted towards Darling.
Perhaps he just wanted to see what the 'Hero of Hogwarts' was capable of? Sebastian wondered, his fingers drumming against the piece of parchment in front of him, not really seeing what was on it. Unless... could Vinnie somehow sense her abilities? No, Darling was a complete mystery to most people. She certainly had been to Sebatian when they first met—
...could he understand her in a way I don't?
Just then, the door to the room swung open, causing Sebastian to jump, squinting against the light now streaming in. Was it daylight out already?
"I told you he'd be in here," Ominis said evenly.
"Sebastian, it's Sunday," Darling chided, her hands on her hips. "You need to take a break."
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"I'm fine," Sebastian insisted, waving them off. "We've only got so much time we aren't in classes. I need to make the most of it."
Darling rolled her eyes. "At least come into Hogsmeade for a drink. It'll clear your head."
"And air you out," Ominis added. "It reeks of stale laundry in here."
Sebastian hesitated, glancing at his mural of notes and charts on the wall, then back at Darling. It was hard to say no to that expectant look on her face... However, now that she was in front of him, another one of the thoughts that had been nagging at him made its way to the forefront.
